4, including priest, seriously injured in world's most Islamic nation

Indonesian police shot and wounded a man wielding a one-meter-long sword who attacked a Catholic Church service Sunday, seriously injuring four, including a priest, and decapitating a statue of Jesus.

Police in the world’s most populous Muslim nation in the world say they are stumped about a motive.

About 100 people were attending the service in the town of Sleman in Yogyakarta province on Java island when a man barged in wielding the sword began attacking terror-stricken faithful, seemingly indiscriminately.

Extremists in Indonesia have mounted a series of attacks against Christians and other minorities.

A few minutes after the service started, a congregation member ran into the church with a bleeding head chased by a young man holding a sharp weapon, said worshipper Andhi Cahyo.

“Everybody started panicking and screaming. I was scrambling to save my wife and children,” Cahyo said.

People fled through another door as the attacker ran amok inside the church. He destroyed some books and a Virgin Mary statue with his sword, said Cahyo, and attacked 81-year-old German priest Edmund Prier who was standing at the altar.

Police arrived soon after the attack and fired a warning shot but the attacker refused to surrender.

“After the warning shot was fired, the attacker charged towards the officer with his sword. The officer then shot him below his stomach, but he managed to injure the cop before being subdued,” Cahyo said.